The ForceCast, the official podcast of TFN and Rebelscum, broke some Lucasfilm personnel news a few weeks ago, and we've got a summary of the news for fans who haven't listened to the episode. Steve Sansweet, now a fan relations adviser to Lucasfilm, told The ForceCast's Jason Swank and Jimmy Mac on the October 31st show that former Lucas Licensing president Howard Roffman is returning to the company, while Prequel Trilogy producer Rick McCallum has left.

Roffman, who retired from Lucasfilm just a few months ago, had led the company's licensing efforts since 1991, when he spearheaded the decision to publish Heir to the Empire, the first entry in the modern Star Wars Expanded Universe.

"When Howard retired, it was made clear that he was gonna be a consultant, part of the brand or franchise management committee," Sansweet said on The ForceCast. "Basically, he's coming back to be the franchise manager. Howard started [at Lucasfilm] the day that The Empire Strikes Back opened in movie theaters. Howard has been there as legal counsel, Howard has been there as head of Licensing, for years. Howard has been a very important person for George and they've had many conversations over the years."

When Jimmy asked whether Rick McCallum, the Prequel producer, would be involved in future Star Wars films, Sansweet responded, "No, I don't think so. Rick has retired from Lucasfilm. I think it was a pleasant parting."

McCallum's departure casts doubt on the future of the live-action television series, a project with which he had become closely associated due to his numerousappearancesinthemedia discussing the show. When the video game Star Wars 1313 was revealed and its underworld focus became apparent, speculation was rife that the game represented an acknowledgement on Lucasfilm's part that a TV show focusing on the underworld was simply impractical given current budget necessities. With McCallum no longer at Lucasfilm, it's doubtful that we'll be hearing anything about the live-action series anytime soon.